17 | Kevin De Bruyne - 2024/25

[uwerosler28]

You’re a Fairground Carnie, aren’t you?

“Roll up! Roll up!
I can guess your weight within 3 kilos or you win a prize! Step on the scale for £1 and win a 50p cuddly toy if I’m wrong!”

Do you honestly think he’s carrying 7 kilos of excess weight, but still getting a game while half fit?

It’s a fucking clown show on here these days.

Show a little respect for some of these players, who have sacrificed their bodies to give you your jollies!

I think he is heavier now than before his injury yes, and that weight hasn't shifted as time as gone on.

 

[Tier2Blue]

Sounds, doubt, if, generally, seems.

Yeah, you sound like you’ve got some solid facts there on which to build a hypothesis that refutes what the player himself has said.

Let’s go with your version. After all, it’s not like you haven’t sacrificed your body for this team, this manager and us fans, is it?

Yep, they’re hiding something and Kev is lying to the world because…well, I’m not exactly sure, but it makes perfect sense…our star midfielder is feigning an injury when we desperately need him.

Yep, that rings true. That must be it.

Bit of a stretch. It’s cute you believe any soundbite given to the media. Nothing is ever given to the media to change narrative…..neither of us knows but the situation seems curious.

 

[Blue2202]

The Academy is designed as a profit center, where the top prospects get a chance with the first team, but if they either don’t gel with the team, or fit in as Pep needs them to, they get moved on for a healthy profit. A few decent homegrown prospects can help Txiki buy a world class prospect (or known talent) from anywhere in the world.

Now, it hasn’t always worked out 100%. Some talents haven’t been able to adapt to Pep’s needs and some Academy players have flourished elsewhere in other, less rigid or demanding systems, but it’s hard to complain about the success of the First Team Squad or the pure FFP profit the homegrown Academy players have provided to the club.

I agree with all of that, and it has generated a good amount of income. But the issue is the money in recent seasons has been spent on players who haven't improved or provided enough competition to what we already had. We've sold potential to sign potential and we've still ended up relying on the core squad to get the job done.

Now that core squad has got older/ravaged by injury/loss of form we are seeing how badly those failings in the transfer market (Ins + Outs) have affected us.

 

[waspish]

Neville and Carragher in firing line for De Bruyne rift claims!


PEP GUARDIOLA has taken aim at Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher after the pundits claimed a rift had developed between the Manchester City manager and Kevin De Bruyne.
Midfield ace De Bruyne, 33, has played just 72 minutes over five substitute appearances since returning from a pelvic injury last month - and the Sky Sports pair speculated about the reasons why after City's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.
Carragher said 'something isn't right between those two' and Neville offered that
'something is definitely going on in the dressing room'. Gary Lineker, Micah Rich-ards and Alan Shearer continued the theme on their podcast The Rest is Football.
Now Guardiola, whose side have suffered four straight league defeats, has hit back before tonight's must-win home clash with Nottingham Forest. 'People say I've got a problem with Kevin,
,' the City boss said. 'Do
you think I like to not play with Kevin?' He added sarcastically: 'No, I don't want Kevin to play. The guy who has the most talent in the final third. I don't want it.
I have a personal problem with him after nine years together.
'He's delivered the biggest successes to this club. I'd love to have the Kevin in his prime, 26 or 27. He would love it, too. But he is not 26 or 27 any more.
'He had injuries in the past, important and long ones. He is a guy who needs to be physically fit for his space and energy. He needs time to find his best. Like last season, step by step. He'll try to do it. I'm desperate to have him at his best.'

 

[Frankie lad]

Some people really can't see the wood for the trees.

He has been an outstanding footballer. Best midfielder the league has seen. But he is not a robot.

No footballer is immune from aging. He is another one like Gundogan who is truly showing his age. Injuries have also brought the axe down on his best days.

As soon as some people come to terms with reality the better.

Your first and last paragraphs are condescending.
Your second accurate.
Third unlike Gundo Kev is coming back from injury and isn’t tuned is as we know he always needs minutes and isn’t getting them.
This conversation has been had before.
Comes back few dodgy games then he is magic.
You may be correct but it’s too soon to say especially when currently we have no one even close to what he does on one of his bad days.

 

[mexico1970]

Manchester City: Pep Guardiola rejects Kevin de Bruyne rift rumours

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola dismisses talk of a rift with star midfielder Kevin de Bruyne.

www.bbc.com

 

[Dax777]

I'm not in any way criticising De Bruyne he has been one of if not the greatest players the club has had... but he's another example of Txiki, Pep and the board becoming complacent.

It was obvious for all of last season that age and injury were rapidly catching up with him but there were reports of a huge money move to the Middle East.

The club should have cashed in last season, instead we're now left with an even older De Bruyne, still just as unfit and with minimal contract remaining, I doubt he's now worth even a quarter of what we could have potentially got for him just last season.

Kev, Berny, and Walker were all potential 'let them go' candidates 2 years ago. Luckily for us Gundo and Mahrez left left of their own volition.

Then we crazily went and brought Gundo back :(.

 

[jacko74]

Kev, Berny, and Walker were all potential 'let them go' candidates 2 years ago. Luckily for us Gundo and Mahrez left left of their own volition.

Then we crazily went and brought Gundo back :(.

Fully agree.

As fantastic players as they have previously been all three have clearly been on a downward trajectory for 2 seasons now.

2 years ago we could have easily got at least £150m for the 3 of them, especially if any Saudi clubs were interested, now we'd be lucky to £50m for all three of them.

The club have been very complacent.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Assumes facts not in evidence.

We need to get over what could, should, might, would have happened with either of them, especially Palmer.

Alvarez made clear he wanted out and we made good money on him knowing we had good players for the “false nine” and to support Haaland. Nobody could have foreseen KDB’s injuries, Phil’s drop in form, and Bernardo’s legs going.

Palmer has done wonders in a relatively free role at Chelsea, but goes missing for long periods of their games when they’re not in free flowing attack mode. He would NEVER have been given such a role at City and Chelsea wanted to pay what many thought was stupid money for him.

There’s a phrase that perfectly sums up how I feel about what players and other clubs do:

Comparison will steal your joy.

Just enjoy who we are, what we’ve got, and the unprecedented ride we have been on.

I have and I am. That doesn't stop me critically questioning Pep's relationship with the academy. He is very, very cautious. Thats fact. We have another bunch of extremely talented youngsters emerging which will most likely benefit other premier league clubs both by strengthening their squads and maturing in value for them. We have an ageing squad and a need for a rebuild. I wonder how many of our own academy will feature?

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I have and I am. That doesn't stop me critically questioning Pep's relationship with the academy. He is very, very cautious. Thats fact. We have another bunch of extremely talented youngsters emerging which will most likely benefit other premier league clubs both by strengthening their squads and maturing in value for them. We have an ageing squad and a need for a rebuild. I wonder how many of our own academy will feature?

The answer to that question is “How many show in training they can be trusted to play in a world class team full of experienced internationals on a regular basis?”

Every single one of them will get a game!

There’s a hierarchy in football clubs, like Maslow’s. You have to reach enlightenment for Pep to pick you more than twice, and even then you might only be in the shop window to bring in £20M!

It’s a tough old profession!